Timing and distributing device



May 21, 1929. SHAY TIMING AND DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Filed March 1926 2 Sheets-Sheef May 21, 1929. I p. SHAY 1,713,883

TIMING AND DISTRIBUTING DEVICE Filed March 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z 2 Z z attorney-I cated.

Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES- DEWEY SHAY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

TIMING AND DISTRIBUTING DEVICE.

7 Application filed March 8, 1926. Serial No. 93,312.

This invention" relates to an improved distributor and timer for internal combustion engines and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character wherein the functioning .of the device may be readily observed While the device is in 0 eration so that failure. of any of the wor ing parts of the device may be readily 10- The invention seeks, as a further Object, to provide a device of such simplicity of construction that the average motorist may, without disturbing the timing, readily correct fault in the device.

Still another'object of the invention is to provide a device so constructed that the various parts may, without disturbing the timing, be readily removed for repairs.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a devicewell adapted for general use, which will be dependable in operation, and wherein provision will be made for necessary adjustments to maintain the proper functioning of the device.

Other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned in the foregoing will appear during the course of the following description. I l

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved distributor and timer showing the manner in which the working parts of the device may be observed through the transparent cover employed.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1,. ooking in the direction indicated, by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail elevation showing the stop posts employed for limitin the rotation of the timer casing to vary t e instant of firing.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line H of Figure 1,looking' in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view'on the line 55 of Figure 1, lookingin the dl? recti on indicated by the arrows, and particularly showing the mounting of the breaker arm. V

Figure 6 is a detailsect-ional view on the line 66 of Figure 1, 'lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows, and particularly showing the arm provided to receive a hand control rod for rotating the casing. Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10- indicates astationary supporting sleeve which may be formed in any approved manner for ri id attachment to the engine in connection with which the device is used. J ournaled through the sleeve'is a timer shaft 11 provided near its upper end with a conical portion 12 and terminating in a stud 13. g This shaft may be connected with the engine crank shaft or other driving element of the engine in any approved manner, to be rotated at half the speed of the crank shaft, but since the driving connection between said element and the shaft 11 forms no part of the present invention, it has not been shown. Formed in the upper end of the sleeve 10 to surround the s aft 11 in' concentric relation, is a socket 14.

rigidly securing the shell upon the bottom plate. This construction is of advantage when repairs are necessary since, by displacing the screws 19, it is possible to remove the shell and the parts attached thereto as a; unit. Preferably, the shell and bottom plate are provided with suitable locating marks so that the shell may, withfacility, be correctly reassembled with the bottom plate. Formed on the bottom plate 15 centrally thereof is a boss 20 which seats flat against the upper cndface of the sleeve 10, and depending from said boss is an annular flange 21 rotatably fitting in the socket 14, the .coacting faces of the bottom plate and sleeve being smoothed so that the casing may freely turn upon thesleeve. Fitting through the bottom plate from the inner side thereof is a bushing 22 for the shaft 11, which is snuglyreceived within the flange 21 of the bottom plate and terminates flush therewith. At its upper'end, the bushing is provided with an annular flange 23 which overhangs the bottom plate, and screwed into said plate is a pin 24, the upper end of which is snugly received in a recess in said flange for locking'the bushing against rotation.

Fixed to the bottom plate is a radially projecting arm 25, apertured, as I seen in Figure 1, toereceive a control rod or the like, so that the casing of the device maybe turned to advance or retard the instant of firing. Fixed to the sleeve 10, as best seen in Figure 3, is a stop arm 26 andp'rojecting from the boss of the bottom plate are spaced pins 27 to selectively engage said.

arm for limiting the turning movement of the casing.

'- "Extending through the bottom plate near the periphery thereof is an insulating bushing 28,"and resting against this ibush -I ing is a post 29 having a'stem' 30 extending through 'theibushing, the bushing being ,provided at its upper end with a relatively large flangeffor 'efie'ctually insulating .the. post with "respect to the bottom 'plate. Freely. 20

.- a 'nut 32'rigidly binding the-post po-v sition. The stem 30 provides a terminal for.

I breaker terminal 35., Thus, as willibe seen,

I 36 for surroundingjthe'stem 30 to rest against the lower sideof the bottom plate is an insulate,

ing washer 31 and screwedon said stem is a primary low tension circuit wire 33, and securing the wire upon the stem is athumb nut 34:, I As shown in Figure 1, the post 29 is'flat, fan'd screwed through "the post is a said terminal maycbe readily adjusted upon the post, and screwed'on said terminalto abut opposite sides of the post are look nuts I securing-the terminal in adjusted position. Y i

Pressed through, the bottom, plate 15 in spaced relation to the bushing 28, as particularly Seen in Figure 2, is a metallic bushing 37, an'd vr'est-ing at oneendupon saidbushing 1s a breaker arm 38 hav ng a convex inner side face shown in Figure lgExtending through the inner end of sald arm and through sa d bushing is a pivot pin 89, seen n Figure 5,

, swingingly mounting the. arm, thepi n being provided at its I upper end with v a head I 40. Screwed or otherwise' fsecuredat its smaller end to the upper face offthe arn 38 .is a, spring clip 41, the larger end of which iscupped to fit over .thehead 40 of'the pin. Thus, the clip will prevent upward displacement of the pin independently of the ar m while, however, as will be seen, lifting upwardly onzthe arm, the pin may be with-g drawn and the arm removed. I Extending through the free end of the arm 1s. a breaker terminal 42. to coaet with theterminal 35, and screwed on therear endof the terminal 42 is a :nut43 rigidly connecting said ter;

I I minal-with the breaker Fitting oyer the ,tapered'portion 12- of the shaftll is a cam .44 which is clamped on the shaftjby a nut-I45 screwed onthe stem 13,, Asiwill be observed, the .headof the bushing 37 'isf thickened to support. the] breaker arm 38 in a plane with thecam soj that the cam will react "with the convex inner side face of v said arm. Inthe present instance I have shown a six pointed cam, the illustrated device being designed for use in connection with a six cylinder engine.

I I However, in any lnstance -where' the device 1s to be employedr in connection with an engine 'having'either a 'greateror less number of cylinders,-the cam will, of course, be provided with a corresponding number of points. Restingon the bottom plate lfi forwardly of the breaker arm'38, is a postfisecured to the bottom plate by a'pair of screws 47, as seenflin Figure 4, andv extending freely through the post is eyebolt ldcarrying a nut ll-9.? suitably anchored at one end to the free end portion of the breaker arm is a spring 50, the opposite end of whichis engaged with the eye of the bolt 48. Thus,

this spring will normallyholdi the terminal 120f the breaker arm inengagement with. the terminal 35 for closing the primary lowtension circuit, said circuit being electrically grounded through the breaker arm and bottom plate 15 to'the sleeve 10. As the shaft 11 revolves, the cam 441 will intermittently 1 swing the breaker arm for breaking said circu1t and should the sprlng 50 become weakened, the tension of the spring may he readilyadjusted by adjustment of the nut 49. Furthermore, byremoving the nut 45 and loosening the camc l onthe shaft 11, the cam. may be readily rotated relative to the shaft for adjusting the timing, when the nut may be again applied and tightened for clamping the cam in fixed position upon the shaft. Resting upon the bottom plate 15 behindthe post 46 is an appropriate segmental condenser 51, one. edge of which iscurved to a fitjthe flange 18 of the shell 16, andxextending from the ends of the condenser are I lugs 52 fixed to the bottom plate by screws 53 forsecuring -the condenserin position; Extending from one side of the condenser vis a lead fia-clamped to the post 29 by abinding screw 55, and: extending from the other side of the condenser is a ground lead56 secured'to the bottom plate-15 by a screw 57;

Thus, as will ,be-well-understood, the con-I are nuts-60 rigidly securing the terminals in position v lhese terminalsalso carry thumb nuts 61 for connecting the spark plug leads,

indicated at 62, withsaid terminals, and fric-; tionally fitting overthe outerends of the terminals are preferably rubber. caps 63 for excludingmoisture. -In the; present instance, I have shown the use of :six of theterminals 58 but, of course, the number of said terminals will be determined by the number of cylinders of the engine in connection with which the device is used. Connected with the shaft 11 to cooperate with said terminals is a distributer rotor including a head 64, and fixed to said head is a radial electrode lying in a plane with said terminals 58. The head 64 of the rotor is formed of suitable insulating material and, as seen in Figure 2, is provided with a recess 66 to freely accommodate the nut 45 on the shaft 11. Extending upwardly from said recess is a bore 67 snugly receiving the stud 13 of the shaft, the head resting on the cam 44. Thus, the stud 13 will rigidly center the head with respect to the shaft, and screwed into the cam 44 is an upstanding pin 68 snugly received in a suitable recess in the head for locking the head to turn in unison with the cam and with the shaft 11. However, as will be seen, the head may be lifted from the shaft for removing the rotor. The electrode 65 is secured to the head by a pair of screws 69, and formed on said electrode at its free end is a widened thickened terminal 7 O, which, as seen in Figure 2, is disposed to pass the inner ends of the terminals 58 in close spaced relation thereto to produce a spark gap between the electrode and each of said terminals successively. 'The terminals 58 may be adjusted with respect to the electrode by inserting one or more shims behind the collars 59 of the terminals and should it become necessary to renew the terminals, said terminals may be readily removed. By widening the terminal 70 of the electrode 65, proper functioning of the device is insured even though the setting of the timing is a little early or a little late, and, preferably, the terminal 70 is, as seen in Figure 1, provided centrally with an arrow which will be found of assistance in positioning the rotor with respect to any one of the terminals 58, when setting the timing.

countersunk in the upper edge of the shell 16 to lie flush therewith is a transparent cover 71 for the casing. This cover may be formed of any approved transparent material, and securing the cover in position are diametrically arranged thumb screws 72 beneath whichare clamped washers 73 overlying the peripheral margin of the cover. Mounted upon the cover, in axial alinement with the shaft 11, is a post 74 having a stem 75 which extends freely through the cover, and loosely fitting on the stem to overlie opposite sides of the cover are preferably fiber washers 76. Screwed on the outer end portion of the stem is a nut 77 clamping the post upon the cover while at the upper end of said stem is a thumb nut 78 for connecting a secondary high tension circuit lead 79 with said post. Secured to the electrode 65 by the pair of screws 69 is a contact spring 80 which extends upwardly over the head 64 of the dist-ributer rotor and is formed with a spherically curved head to seat in the cupped inner end of the post 74' for electrically connecting the electrode with said post. Thus, as will be well understood, when the primary circuit is broken by movement of the breaker arm 38, current will flow in the secondary circuit through the electrode 65 to one of the terminals 58 and thence to a corresponding spark plug of the engine. Screwed or otherwise secured to the head 64 of'the distributer rotor is a counterweight 81 for said rotor.

As will now be seen, by looking through the cover 71, the functioning of the device may be observed while the device is in operation. Thus, any fault existing in the de vice may be readily located. Furthermore, by displacing the cover, the working parts of the device may be readily removed for repair and, with the exercise of ordinary care, replaced without disturbing the timing of the device.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: v

1. A device of the character described including a sleeve having a socket in its upper end, a casing having a boss on its under side seating on the end of the sleeve and having an annular flange fitting in said socket, a timer shaft journaled through the sleeve and extending intothe casing, circuit breakers within the casing operated by rotation of the timer shaft, means for rotating the casing, a stop arm on the sleeve projecting over the side of the boss, and stops on the boss at opposite sides of said arm for limiting the rotation of the casing in opposite directions.

2. A device of the character described including a casing having a bottom plate, a timer shaft extending through said plate into the casing, a primary circuit post mounted upon and insulated from the bottom plate, a terminal carried by said post, a bushing carried by the bottom plate, a spring pressed breaker arm resting at one end upon the bushing andprovided near its opposite end with a terminal to cooperate with the firstmentioned terminal, a smooth pivot pin extending through the supporting end of the arm and the bushing, means carried by the arm to engage the pin for holding the pin a ainst upward displacement independently o the arm, the pin being removable from the bushing with the breaker arm, and means whereby rotation of the shaft will effect rocking of the arm.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

DEWEY SHA [1,. s.] 

